When People Started Wearing Clothes

Challenges in Determining the Origin of Clothing

Early clothes made from animal hides degrade rapidly, leaving little archaeological evidence.
Several theories exist based on limited findings.

Genetic Skin-Coloration Research: Suggests humans lost body hair around 1 million years ago, possibly when clothing for warmth began.
Scraping Tools: Found from 780,000 years ago, likely used for shelter rather than clothing.
Eyed Needles: Appeared 40,000 years ago, indicating more complex clothing and suggesting earlier clothing use.

University of Florida Study:
- Concluded humans started wearing clothes around 170,000 years ago, aligning with the end of the second-to-last ice age.
- Based on the evolution of lice, indicating clothing lice evolved when humans started wearing clothes.
- DNA sequencing used to determine genetic split between clothing lice and head lice.
Significance:
- Clothes appeared 70,000 years before humans migrated north from Africa.
- Clothing likely facilitated migration into cooler climates.

Early Fabrics: Thought to be an ancestor of felt.
Weaving:
- Impressions of textiles on clay found from 27,000 years ago.
- Venus figurines from 25,000 years ago show evidence of weaving technology.
Ancient Civilizations:
- Egyptians producing linen around 5500 BC.
- Chinese producing silk around 4000 BC.

Early clothes were simple, often just draped and pinned.
Dyed Flax Fibers: Found in Georgia, dating back 36,000 years, indicating early use of color.
Fashion Evolution:
- Mid-1300s saw drastic changes with form-fitting clothes, curved seams, laces, and buttons.
- Fashion in the West began changing rapidly due to aesthetics.

Revolutionized the clothing industry with mass production in factories.
Made clothes cheaper and more accessible, contributing to rapid changes in fashion.
Enabled larger wardrobes and ongoing fashion evolution.